Now just to remind everyone.

This whole event was being broadcasted live. Everything that had transpired in the Palace was being shown in real-time

The citizens who were watching the broadcast were stunned at the changing events. How did it suddenly change a banquet of luxurious festivities amongst the nobles into full-on mayhem?

At first, they all thought this was a coup d'etat where the infamous Night Lurkers made their appearance and apprehended the nobles. But the one who was commanding them to do so was no other than the new Emperor Wilthelm VII himself!

To the general public, the first impression of their new Emperor was that was nothing more than a pawn walking around the Prime Minister’s hand just like his submissive mother.

However, that all changed the moment the Emperor immediately commanded the Night Lurkers to come out of hiding and began to apprehend the nobles he had called out. Under his orders, the Knights turned against the Captain and worked side-by-side with the vigilantes to capture the Prime Minister and his allies. Others quickly made their move to protect the Dowager Empress declaring it was the Emperor's orders.

What’s even more surprising was that the Emperor had displayed superior skill in magic that affected the whole Capital.

It was truly as though it were the second coming of the Legendary Sage.

After that display, the Emperor immediately sat on the throne with a smile, they’d never seen on his face before.

For ten years, they’ve seen the then Crown Prince multiple times. He always had the dead-pan, emotionless, almost doll-like expression. But now they are seeing a cold smile that sent shivers down their spines.

It was a smile that gave everyone the impression of a sinister demon lord.

They gulped in anticipation of what was going to happen next.

***Will’s POV***

I sat on the throne, crossing my legs over while leaning my face on one hand. I looked at the far corner of the hall and beckoned at a certain individual who kept a calm face throughout the whole thing.

“Now then, Wynston von Vismark come to the throne.”

I beckoned to my friend who was standing silently behind a pillar at the far back.

A young man in his early twenties came forward when I called for him. His father, Baron Vismark, and his older brothers jolted when they heard his name called. They were a minor nobility out in the sticks with a small territory. So naturally, they never expected that I, who was at the highest rank amongst nobles in the Empire, would know of their third son.

“Did you bring what I’ve asked for?”

“I compiled a general summary as you’ve requested, Your Majesty.”

He took from his coat pocket a thick stack of papers and handed them to me.

“Thank you. Hmm…this is organized and summarized well. You’ve done a great job.”

“Your kind words are too much for this unworthy me. It’s only through His Majesty’s goodwill that I was able to do as you requested.”

Oi. I thought we agreed on you not doing this reverence shit.

“W-What is the meaning of this? Who is this b-b-brat?!”

Stahlin still had the nerve to run his mouth. Although his words were chattering due to the cold.

“Someone more reliable than you. As for this? This is a summarized report of all the crimes you’ve committed.”

The nobles from all around the hall began talking.

“Crimes?”

“Is this true?”

“Damn...did the Emperor also find out…”

I can hear mutterings similar to that last one due to my sharp hearing. For now, I should focus on the current at hand.

“First off, it says here that the former Duke Baskervylle was actually assassinated on your orders. Not to mention, you’ve connived with Dark Scorpion to accomplish the deed while making it look a suicide."

There was a resounding gasp and murmurs from those present.

"The previous Duke Baskervylle?"

"Didn't he commit suicide because he was disgraced as an Imperial Investigator?"

"There were rumors that he was actually murdered. I never thought they were true!"

A lot of them turned around towards the current Duke Baskervylle and his wife. The Duke was clearly stricken by my report on what really happened to his father. He looked as though he were about to collapse. His wife was helping him stand.

"In connection with that, you fabricated the evidence to disgrace the former Duke Baskervylle and had your associates spread rumors as part of a smear campaign to discredit him as an Imperial Investigator. All for the aim to stop his zealous investigations of your faction’s criminal dealings. The nobles being restrained here had had a hand on your little scheme.”

Duke Baskervylle was a major critic of Stahlin and his main political enemy. He was convicted (falsely) of crimes and was said to have committed suicide to escape. It was a hot topic for a long time. The only reason why his family was not deprived of their noble status was that my father was suspicious of the circumstances and wanted further investigations. I guess it was a plus on my father's part. Of course, when he died, all investigations ceased.

Duke Baskervylle’s son became the current duke but the damage had been done and the family lost its prestige. He was forced to withdraw from active participation in court due to the possible threats to his family

I made a mental note to speak with them later and disclose my own findings.

“T-T-That’s a lie! S-S-Someone has c-c-clearly fooled you!”

“The Dark Scorpions can be loosely lipped when given the right...incentive.”

Although I say that, it’s actually because I beat the shit out of them.

“Let's see what else we have here… "

I began reading out loud what was written in the report.

Embezzlement of National and Imperial Funds that were meant to be used for infrastructure, health services, and food production to fund secret luxurious and hedonistic lifestyles…

Selling positions of government offices to unqualified incompetents who are only looking to line their pockets…

Overlooking the crimes of his son Napolyon and those amongst his faction…

Seriously, I'm still impressed how he manages to cover these things up.

I occasionally glanced up at the papers from time to time. I can see looks of indignation and outrage from the more morally inclined directed at Stahlin and his group.

The guilty ones. Ho? Ho? Trying to act, are we? Well, I’ll have you in my grasp soon enough.

Stahlin kept yelling “lies” and “forgeries” but I paid him no mind and continued. Next in the list where:

...there’s the forced conscripting of able-bodied men from rural areas as soldiers for the planned expansionist campaign to other continents... ...Hiring bandits to raid and sack villages to get them off the land due to the mineral-rich deposits found there…

...Secret agreements with the Merchant’s Guild to manipulate the sale of goods with such inflated prices…

...The kidnapping of women and children of different races to sell into slavery and illegal sex dens…

I can hear uproars throughout the Imperial Capital. My sharp hearing can hear that far.

“Oh, and to top it all off…”

I looked at Stahlin square in the eye.

“You were the actual mastermind who orchestrated the Bloody Night Incident and pinned the blame on my brother Wolthalm as a scapegoat to eliminate him.”

There was another, louder collective gasp from everyone in the hall. I’m pretty sure everyone in the Empire did the same.

I’ve known it was Stahlin who secretly orchestrated what resulted in the assassination of my father, the previous Emperor, several of my siblings, and several Cadet Branch Archducal Houses of the Imperial Family.

This incident was what left me as the sole successor to the throne and led to the Regency due to my minority. Just as he had planned. Although he shared the regency with my mother...mother had her own circumstances. Which meant all the power was in his hands.

Stahlin was lauded as the hero who had managed to put a stop to it.

Complete bull.

It was all his plans in the first place. I’ve gathered all the evidence.

“So do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“Lies! I'll tell you! LIESSS!!!”

Stahlin howled in anger, trying to refute my accusations. It seems not even the cold can stop his yells.

”Where is your proof? Wolthalm was greedy! He wanted the throne! He was jealous of you whose birth had snatched that away from-”

Who’s lying here?

“Shut up.”

I say, inflicting as much coldness into my tone as possible. Whether it was my cold look or my rather sharp boorish tongue, it stunned him silent for a bit.

“Stahlin, I knew it was you who killed my father. I don’t need evidence...since I witnessed it myself.”

“W-What?!”

This put a stop to Stahlin’s “LIES” tirade. I turned my gaze towards the nobles. Some of them had shocked expressions. It seems they were all surprised that I, of all people, was an actual witness. My mother, the Dowager Empress, looked at me in disbelief.

I took out my wand and tapped it on the side of my head. As I pulled it back a thin golden string came along with it. I then flicked it right in front of me and the string formed a golden frame with a water-like mirror. Everyone who saw that was mesmerized by its appearance.

An image began to appear in the mirror. A hand was gripping the side of a curtain. My hand. What they were seeing was my point of view of a scene I would never forget. One I deeply regretted.

A man wearing the same type of robes as I was lying crumpled on the floor. A young man was standing over him with a sword dripping in blood. Both had white hair and gold eyes like mine.

“Woltham…W-Why...?”

The whole hall became silent. Some even shuddered and stared agape at the mirror. It had been ten years since they'd last heard his voice.

The voice of my predecessor and father. Emperor Francys V.

***

“Woltham…W-Why...?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, for me to achieve the goals I need you dead. Ah, it seems the potion is beginning to wear off.”

All of a sudden, “Wolthalm’s” features began to change. His hair turned black and his eyes turned red. The handsome features morphed into another’s face. A face everyone knew all too well.

The face of Adolv Stahlin.

“Y-You?! Adolv?!” Francys gasped.

“Ah! It seems I wound up being exposed at the last minute. Not that it matters.”

“You...traitor….I trusted you… Why...would you...do this?!”

“Since you are about to die. I might as well tell you. I want power. The power to rule the world! A power you Imperials have left to waste!”

“The Heart...no…it can’t be...it’s impossible...for you...”

Stahlin laughed. “Oh, I don’t need to be the one to use it.”

Francys’ eyes widened as he glared back at him in rage.

“Wilt...helm…”

“Ah, yes. It seems you’ve pieced it all together. With you dead and with the blame on Prince Wolthalm, all I have to do is to wipe out the rest of your brats and the Cadet Branches. It’s going to be easier given they have ambition for the throne I had my subordinates cultivate in them. If only they knew what’s going to come to them! When all of them are out of the way, nothing will stop me from seizing control of the Empire. Only then will I be one step closer to my goals.”

Sttahlin said with relish that his handsome features had looked devilish. A typical bad guy savoring how his plot is unfolding.

“You...greedy scum!”

“Now, now, you’re going to make the pain worse. Rest assured, the young Crown Prince is integral to my plans. I will take good care of him until the time is right for him to become my key to ultimate power. I bid you goodbye, Emperor Francys…”

Stahlin walked away.

Mustering all the remaining strength he had. Francys shouted his final words.

“You won’t get away with this!”

Stahlin stopped before he gave the dying emperor a smirk.

“I already have.”

***

With that, the memory faded and the mirror vanished.

“You never realized I was hiding behind the curtains now, did you?” I say hollowly.

I saw everyone had another shell-shocked expression on their faces. My mother, who had never seen the last moments of my father, looked as though she might collapse at any moment.

"H-How? You were supposed to be at Wyndsyr... There's no way..."

Stahlin was blue in the face probably from the icicle block I left him in. I guess the outing of his crimes also played a part.

“So do you have anything to say for yourself?”

But all of a sudden, he started laughing.

Eh? Is this guy Bipolar or something?

“Hmm? Is there something even remotely funny?”

“Go on ahead! Convict me! Even if you are the Emperor, you are nothing more than a mere sheltered brat who knows nothing! Without me you are nothing!”

Is he really that desperate to cling to that? What made him think he was the only person I could rely on? Oh, wait I tricked him into thinking that.

“Nothing?”

To those words, I simply smiled. He looked bewildered at my reaction.

“Adolv Stahlin, did you actually think you know me all too well?”

You always thought I was a puppet to be controlled. But quite the contrary, you were dancing on the palm of my hand. I knew everything from the very start. I was powerless on my own but armed with what I know, I changed all that and readied everything.

You could only do as you pleased because I couldn’t do anything about it yet.

Now I bided my time and now’s the time to act.

“I’m sorry to say but there’s more to me than what you know.”

“What do you mean?“

“Well, I’m not going to elaborate. Nor am I obliged to.”

Adolv sneered at me once more.

“Tch. Fine! Lock me up! Take me to court! Hold a trial! We’ll see what you really can do, Emperor Wilthelm VII!”

I raised my eyebrow, “Aren’t you in one right now?”